MANY MAY already regard him as a “master of music”, but Máirtín O’Connor was conferred with the official title yesterday when NUI Galway awarded him an honorary degree.
The celebrated musician, who was accompanied by his parents, wife Sietske and family, struck up a few tunes on his accordion after the ceremony. Two of his three daughters, Ciara and Sinéad, played the violin with him over lunch.
O’Connor began playing accordion at the age of nine, and was a member of many of leading traditional music groups including Midnight Well, De Dannan, The Boys of the Lough and Skylark.
The solo musician has recorded with many national and international artists, such as Rod Stewart, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Tanita Tikaram, Townes Van Zandt, The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Davy Spillane and The Waterboys. He was the first recipient of the Allied Irish Bank Traditional Musician of the Year Award.
Also honoured by the university yesterday was independent Loughrea town councillor Norman Morgan for his role as historian, archivist and book collector and community activist.
Mr Morgan recently donated 13 issues of the Galway Independentfrom the 1800s to the James Hardiman Library at NUI Galway, and 157 rare editions of the Dublin Evening Mail which dated from 1855 to the Dublin city library.
NUI Galway president Dr James J Browne said the university was proud to honour Mr O’Connor and Mr Morgan for their contributions to music and public service.